The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-01-13

to rcadjust the representation to conform to the
constitution DO not doubt your perfect will
lngnesS to discharge that constitutional obi
cation. but you may properly be reminded that
yonr assumed unwil!ingness to meet the diff
cuitles and Inconvenience OF reapportton-
ment was strongly urged upon me as a reason
Tor calling toget her year predecessors for the
purpose. 1t similar circumstances should exist
IN 1898. as they probably will. hope your pres
emf action will confirm the confidence OF all in
that day. that the Minnesota legislature will
perform its duty, uninfluenced by personal con-
sldcration This duty being performed. it will
be seen that, so far as the reasons urged for
session in 1856 are concerned. biennial sessions
sufnclentIy answer all purposes.
UNNECESSARY OFFICES.
Frequent examination is necessary
the retention OF offices which have c..
necessary or useful judge the Office
land agent to be now such one. It seems TO
me- also that the preparation and distribution
OF authoritative documents, books or circulars,
regarding the advantages of Minnesota, hit herto
done by board OF i'm migration and secretary,
can now be more properly and economically
placed in the charge Of the secretary OF state.
Referring to the requirements that the state
shall make an enumeration Of its inhabitants
again in 800, and to the f-ct that the United
States Will now pay One-half the expense Of
census ia ken at that time, if it contain tie same
matter taken in the same manner the federal
census, recommend to Your consideration the
suspension of the annual collection and publica-
ton OF agricultural statistics, with the view to
make In $50 complete census which will fur
nish reliable means Tor comparison, in all re-
spects. with thai of the United States in 1890
Our published statistics urc becoming less and
less trustworthy. doubt ii !tIev are now worth
their cost.
DRAINAGE OF THE BED RIVER VALLEY
A public meeting held at Crooks. on on the 9Th
of last month. in the interest Of the drainage
Of the Red river valley, reques led me by rcsolu-
tion u call y"ur attention to the urgent need
OF careful and Judlclous legislation upon the
subject OF drainage: also upon the justice and
necessity OF very liberal appro! riation from
the state to open up the obstructcd river chan
nels Of is thatl section. and Of the wisdom Of
the state lending her credit to forward ohe
scheme" While I willingly con,p!y with this
request to the extent OF commencing me SUBJ
jet to your consideration, an proven. cd from
iahibitlons OF the constitution. Section 10 OF
Article , OF the constitution provides that The
credit OF the state shall ne:cr be given or leaned
in aid OF any individual. association OF incor-
poration, and section 5 OF the article pro-
hlbits the sua e from contracting any debts for
works Of internal Improvement" or becoming "a
party in carry On such works excspt
other property shall have been made to
the state specially dedicated by the grant to
specific purposes" etc. While it seems to be
the way of such state aid to this project as it's
promoters seek there >ce cons;t!erati ms that
strongly commend 1t to public fav..r and to
such Endorsement by the state may she con-
stiEut ona!ly given. Careful surveys sad esti-
mates SLOW that q moderate expenditure made
in opening and deepening the natural "ase
claim and make valuable. large areas wh:c:i
now sw@mps but viii give /. syslciu OF natural
drainage to lands OF large port III uI the valley
which are now liable in we, scaS0.ls 20 DE r<,,d-
cred almost useless fer cutJiva,l ion Included III
tLis area are large tracts OF land which have
been conveyed to the state by the general gov
ernnen: as swamp lands. given 10 the state
for the very purpose as specified IN
the congressional grant itself. OF providing the
means for their drainage. Tie STATE. however,
instead Of devotjn. these lands to that purpose.
h0os yn1t
to encourage the building Of railroads III sections
of the state remote from where :ley arc located
II these lands were now available tor the pur-
pose for which they were granted lv congress-.
the means would be at hand for tie prosecution
OF the contemplated work. I've STATE las d.
verted them TO other purposes and has received
benef: from them through the aid rnev have
given in the development OF other portions OF
the state. II is this which gives amp
OF equity to the claim he y..cy of the Red
River presents in this matter. The apprupiia-
ton OF portion OF The internal Improvement
fund which is bicnniaiiy distributed to aid in
the construction Of roads and bridges could very
properly be dc; oteI to drainage purposes
heron contemplated.
WESTERN WATERWAYS.
Tie report of the state commission for The
Improvement Of the Mississippi river" contains
much matter OF practical interest to the people
Of the state. The Improvement of our Western
waterways is subject that specially concerns
the material interests Of Minnesota and should
therefore receive such consideration at your
hands as msy promise to prove means to that
end The head OF navigate of the Mississippi
river, and practical y OF the great lake system,
as we'll as Of the Red River OF the North. are
within our borders. A large proportion Of our
products finds its way to market through the
two first named OF these waterways, and the cost
OF raj road transportation upon the balance is
greatly iessencd by the competition OF these
water routes in the carrying trade. The same
disc. coal, etc. The low price prevailing
for our agricultural products make the
question of the cost Of their transporta-
tion to marker an all-important one at the
present time. Therein largely lies the
solution of the problem with which our pro-
ducers are now wrestling, whether they can sue
cessfally meet the competition of chcaD labor
elsewhere. in the growing of food products for
the worlds consumption. Tie moderate expen-
diture made by the government III recent years
for the aid OF navigation upon our rivers and the
lakes has resulted in more substantial teleht TO
the internal commerce OF the country than any
like expenditure elsewhere upon its inland
upon the government for 4 carrying out Of the
comprehensive system under which the work
has thus far been prosecuted
The utility OF the reservoir! system at the
sources of the Mississippi river has been prac-
tically demonstrated during the past Of
exceptional dryness. From, June until close
drawn upon, and for three months Of the time
to an extent that gave foot higher water at St.
Paul than would otherwise have been the case.
as estimated by the United States engineer in
charge, thus securing good stage II water for
the largest steamers throughout the season Of
navigation The work for the improvement ct
the channel OF the upper Mississippi is eml>ar-
rassed on account If the mca@er appropriations
for the purpose, but most substantial benefit
has accrued from the expenditure already made.
The wonderful ami perhaps unprecedented
growth Of the commerce Of Duluth, and rapid
development OF the mineral resources Of our
territory bordering the lake. present in COM
handing form the importance and necessity Of
the improvement CT our harbors on Lake Supe-
enlargement
canal A full presentation of ohe facts illustrate
ing the influence and effect OF these waterways
prove revelation even to many of our own peo-
pie. Accurate statistics Of the commerce OF our
rivers and lake poris. collected and published in
form for general distri button. would prove use
full in demonstrating the utility of the improve
Ments desired l would therefore recommend
that the river commission be authorized to incur
the expense necessary tor the collection Of such
statistics, the same to be reported annually to
the governor. proper expression OF this leg |
islature addressed to congress respecting needed
for our waterways. would doubt ,
less aid our representatives in that body IN their
effoEts to secure the recognition demanded.
In response to 4 manifest demand Ut the pub !
lie interest and Tie popclar will. the legislature
Of 1885 inaugurated a new policy OF state con- |
troll OF railway and warehouse management. The !
laws enacted for the supervision and regulation
Of these interests have been on trial for the past
two years, and the results accomplished there ,
under are submitted to you by the board Of !
who we're specially charged with
their execution.
The work Of the commission has been labori-
ous, difficult, in many OF its details extremity
delicate but in I'll respects most efficient: show
ing more substantial results than could reason
ably have been expected from the administra-
ton OF laws necessarily imperfect inasmuch as
they were largely experimental. An early noted
dofcct in the law for the regulation OF railroad
was TIE limited power vested in the
comm ssiou. This often proved an embarrass-
ment, but the aacaci.y OF the board largely OBJ
waited tho effect. They could advise re-
quest" and in exceptional cases promulgate
theil Judgment in an order" to the rail-
re ad companies, but compliance, as a rule |
could be obtained only by the volun-
tary action Of the corporations them
selves 1t is therefore cause for congratula-
ton that 80 much has been realized in the way